India 

G.V. Krishna Rau, chairman of the Coffee Board of India, has warned that India’s coffee production and exports in 2010 may be hurt by a lack of pre-monsoon rainfall in some of the main coffee growing areas.

Rainfall in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu was not "consistent and uniform," according to Rau, "Most of the aberrations related to the blossom showers are localized," he said. "Some areas got good rains, while some areas saw a deficit and some didn’t get back-up showers."

"Showers in April have not been widespread this year as they usually are," added Anil Bhandari, a member of the board and a grower, quoted by Bloomberg. "There has not been enough back up rain to aid fruit-bearing in some areas."

However, despite this, year-to-date exports of all coffee in India jumped 36% compared to the same period last year, with arabica beans alone up more than 3,000 metric tons.

Total exports are now seen as likely to exceed the Coffee Board’s predictions for the year, which came on the heels of unseasonably heavy rain in November and December. Many believed that as much 25% of the crop had been destroyed, but early returns are demonstrating that it is likely much less than that.

Ajoy Thipaiah, a member of the Coffee Board, expressed skepticism that this trend would continue, though.

"Exports have been pushed on the expectation that world market prices would increase," Thipaiah said. "However, this trend will come to a halt after a recent report of a strong Brazilian crop."